A sure sign of the instability in USC's program was the Trojans' firing of their coach for the third time in mid-season in the last 18 seasons. But Kevin O'Neill (7-10 record this year) isn't the first bench boss from a power conference member to face such a fate. He joins a dubous list including John Brady (Louisiana State in 2007-08), Lou Campanelli (California in 1992-93), Gale Catlett (West Virginia in 2001-02), Jim Dutcher (Minnesota in 1985-86), Dennis Felton (Georgia in 2008-09), Larry Glass (Northwestern in 1968-69), Mark Gottfried (Alabama in 2008-09), Joe Harrington (Colorado in 1995-96), Bob Knight (Texas Tech in 2007-08), Ward "Piggy" Lambert (Purdue in 1945-46), Shelby Metcalf (Texas A&M in 1989-90), Charlie Parker (Southern California in 1995-96), Steve Patterson (Arizona State in 1988-89) and Quin Snyder (Missouri in 2005-06) as coaches who lasted more than half of a specific season before their tenures ended for one reason or another.

What about the schools that don't even give a coach half a season to make his case? A total of 27 schools in the previous 16 seasons had a coach relieved of his duties or pass away after the start of the season but before the second half of the campaign. The odds are against O'Neill's replacement (Bob Cantu) compiling a winning mark. Last year, Western Kentucky's Ray Harper (11-8) became only the seventh "successor" coach piloting a club more than half of a campaign since the NCAA playoffs expanded to at least 64 entrants in 1985 to post a winning record the remainder of the season. He joined Jeff Dittman (10-8 with Sam Houston State in 1988-89), Dave Fehte (9-8 with Saint Mary's in 1990-91), Max Good (13-9 with UNLV in 2000-01), Mike Perry (10-9 with Georgia State in 2002
-03), Brad Soderberg (16-10 with Wisconsin in 2000-01) and Stetson's Derek Waugh (14-8 with Stetson in 2000-01).

Harper and Soderberg guided the squads they inherited to an NCAA playoff berth. Following is an alphabetical list of universities in this impatient category since the start of national postseason competition and the records of their coaches that season: